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Not many athletic disciplines can hold spectators spellbound through 45 minutes of ritual before the initial score is even determined.

Yet the detailed ceremonies unfolding in a small clay ring - mostly preserved for centuries - managed to do just that.

Experience the Prestigious Rikishi Event

This multi-day tournament at the historic concert hall features 40 of the very best sumo athletes showcasing a sport whose initial documentation dates back to the first century BC.

London's renowned auditorium has been completely reimagined, complete with a massive traditional roof structure hanging above the dohyō.

Time-Honored Rituals Meet Current Innovations

It is here the wrestlers, known as sumo wrestlers, perform their shiko exercises to drive away dark forces, and where they applaud to summon the divine beings.

Above all this ancient ceremony, a giant, revolving LED screen - which wouldn't look out of place at an American basketball game - offers the spectators all the stats and replays they could want.

Worldwide Followers Discover Sumo

For Sian Spencer, it was a "chance online clip" that first drew her interest a couple of years ago.

This was soon supplemented with the discovery of specialized online content for sumo stables, where competitors stay and exercise, starting their day early to practice, followed by a nutritious chankonabe and then an daytime sleep - all in the pursuit of increasing mass.

Traveling from the North, Different Experience

Julia and her partner Cezar discovered sumo through a established path: a visit to the country six years ago.

"We approached it as a very touristy activity, but we actually developed passion for the sport," notes the enthusiast.

"After that, we tried to locate groups, resources, just to expand our knowledge about it," the other fan explains.

Unique Chance

Visiting the homeland is generally the primary approach to see a major championship.

This London competition marks only the second instance the tournament has appeared in the capital - the previous visit was in the early nineties.

Even traveling to Asia isn't a guarantee of securing tickets, with the past period seeing fully attended competitions.

First-Hand Experience

For many attendees, the current event represents the premier chance they have experienced the sport directly - and it lives up to the hype.

"Seeing it up close, you get a sense of the speed and the strength which you won't feel on TV," explains an attendee. "They are so big."

The Bouts

To succeed, one rikishi needs to push another off the clay or to the surface using raw power.

The primary group use one of pair of techniques to succeed in this, often in split seconds - pushing, or clenching.

Either way, the impact of the two athletes colliding in the first moment of the match echoes around the venue.

Prime Locations

The cushions right next to the ring are of course greatly valued - but also, potentially hazardous.

During one recent bout, a tall wrestler went plummeting into the crowd - perhaps making those in more affordable locations experience comfort.

Behind the Scenes

Of course, the stature of the rikishi is one of the primary elements most people imagine when they consider the sport.

The venue's management revealed they "had to source and acquire reinforced furniture which can support 200kg in weight."

But sumo - for all its popular tournaments - is not without its troubles behind the scenes.

Potential Issues

Perhaps the demanding existence of a rikishi doesn't look as appealing as it once might have.

Its popularity among youth in Japan is also being competed with by different athletic pursuits, while Japan's decreasing numbers will present additional challenges.

International Network

Not that any of this has worried fans in London.

"Witnessing these ritual and ceremony that goes with sumo is especially significant," an attendee explains. "Today, watching it directly, you sense that you are more involved."

For other dedicated followers, the intensity "made it so incredible" - as did interacting with the fellow enthusiasts.

"Getting out of a particularly focused online community and being able to witness multiple sumo fans in person and being able to converse with other people who are similarly enthusiastic as we are - it was worth every penny."